Pipe-laying machine.



1.1. MAHONEY & W. L. NORRIS.

PIPE LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men MAY25. I915- nzuswzo sEPT.I8. I9l6.

1 210 824. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

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PIPE LAYING MACHINE. APPLICATION mm mvzs. 1915. RENEWED SEPTJB. me.

LZlQBQQ, Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES: W 752% 1.1. MAHONEY & W. L. NORRIS PIPELAYlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 25. 1915. RENEWED SEPT. 18. l9l6.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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WITNESSES:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. MAHONEY, OF sAN FRANCIS O, AND I I L. NoR Is, or BERKELEY,

CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoRs T0 CALIFORNIA PIPE LI E MACHINE Co., OF SA FRAN-GISGO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

PIPE-LAYING- MACHINE.

Original application filed May 7, 1913, Serial No. 766,056.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 30,340. Renewed September 18, 1916. Serial No. 120,887.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN J. MAHONEY, of thecity and county of San Francisco and State of California, and WILLIAM L.NoRRIs, of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California,citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Pipe-Laying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pipe laying and screwing machine, and hasfor its object to provide for the ready and easy transportation of sucha machine from place to place upon a. pipe line. In carrying out thisobject we employ a pipe laying machine which is so constructed as totravel upon the connected sections of pipe, thus facilitating laying ofthe pipe across rough and uneven ground, marshy land, creeks, gulleys,ditches and Over obstacles; the pipe thus forming a track on which themachine travels in moving from one section to another.

One form which our invention may assume is exemplified in the followingdescription and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying our invention. Fig.2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a. view in elevation from theside of a machine opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, with parts brokenaway and partly in vertical section. Fig. 4 shows a detail section onthe line AA of Fig. 3, illustrating the mechanism for clamping themachine-to the'pipe line.

In the drawings, the frame or carriage body of the machine is indicatedat 2, and is here shown as consisting of a tubular member adapted tosurround the pipe to be laid. This carriage body 2 is preferably formedof a large diameter of pipe. The forward end of the carriage body 2extends through and is secured to a channel plate 3, and is providedwith similar channel plates 4 throughout its length to form suitablesupports for the bearings of various mechanisms to be hereinafterdescribed.

Revolubly mounted on a bushing 5, se-

cured to the forwardend of the carriage 2, is a toothed wheel 6, whichwheel is adapted to be rotated by means of a pinion 7, carried on ashort shaft 8 journa1ed in suitable bearings; The shaft 8 carries; a;pair of spaced toothed Wheels 9 and 9 which are adapted to be engaged bytoothed wheels 10 and 10 of different diameters, mounted to movelongitudinally on a countershaft 11 and revoluble therewith. The toothedwheels 10 and 10 are adapted to be shifted by means of'a hand lever 11to throw the toothed wheel 10 into engagement with the toothed wheel 9,the toothed wheel 10' into engagement with the toothed wheel 9, ordispose the toothed wheels 10 and 10' between the toothed wheels 9 and 9out of engagement therewith. The wheel 6 has connected to it a pipegripping member 6 and with other mechanism, not necessary to be herespecifically described, constitutes the pipe screwing means which formsthe subject-matter of a separate application filed of even dateherewith, Serial Number 30,341.

The toothed wheels 9 and 10 and 9 and 10 are of different diameters inrelation to each other for the purpose of varying the speed of rotationof the shaft 8, and consequently the pinion 7 and toothed wheel 6 inrelation to the countershaft 11, as is com mon in change speedmechanism. The countersha ft 11 extends parallel with the carriage 2 andis revolubly mounted in suitable bearings carried by the channel plates3 and 4. A toothed wheel 12 is mounted on the countershaft 11 and isadapted to be engaged by either one of two pinions 13 and 13'.

The pinion 18 is slidably mounted on the squared portion of a shaft 14,on which is mounted a friction disk 15, adapted to be thrown in and outof engagement with the fly-wheel 16 on the drive shaft of a suitableengine or motor 17 mounted on the carriage 2. The pinion 13 is an idlerand is loosely mounted on a stud shaft 18 and is in constant mesh withthe pinion 13. The pinions 13 and 13 are designed to slide lengthwise ontheir respective shafts 14 and 18 and are adapted to be thrownalternately in and out of engagement with the toothed wheel 12 to rotatethe latter and the shaft 11 when the shaft 14 is connected with theengine shaftthrough the clutch 15 and fiy-wheel 16.

The means for shifting the pinions 13 and 13 is here shown as consistingof yokes 19 and 19, which are slidably mounted on the shafts 14 and 18and extend on the opposite sides of the pinions l3 and 13. The

yokes 19 and 19 are connected together by means 'of alink 20 which isslotted longitudinally to receive pins 20" carried by the yokes 19 and19. The lower end of the link 20 is connectedto a hand lever.2l,fulcrumed at 22, in such a manner that when pinion 13 will be throwninto mesh with thetoothed wheel 12 to drive the latter directly from theshaft 1-1, and when the hand lever 21 is thrown to the extreme positionto the left, the pinion 13 will be moved out of mesh with the toothedwheel 12 and the pinion 13 will be thrown into mesh with the toothedwheel 12, so that the latter will be rotated indirectly from the shaft1% through the pinions 13 and 13; the pinion 13 being ofsuch width as tobe engaged by the pinion 13 whenthelatter is in its outermost position.)

By the. operation of the hand lever 21 to shift the pinions 13 and 13,as just described, the direction of rotation of the toothed wheel 12 andcountershaft 11 may be varied as desired, and rotated by means of theengine 17 through the clutch 15 and shaft 14.

The carriage 2 is designed to travel and be propelled in eitherdirection on the pipe line for constructing which this machineisdesigned. For this purpose a tractor'wheel 23. is provided, adjacent tothe forward end of the machine, which tractor wheel is revolubly mountedon a shaft 24:, carried by'a yoke 25,- pivotally mounted on a shaft 26,jcurnaled in suitable bearings on the carriage 2. The tractor wheel 23is formed with outwardly flared flanges on its periphcry and extendsthrough an opening 27 in the carriage frame 2 so' as to contact and rideupon the pipe D, as is particularly shown in Fig. 2; the flanges on thetractor 23 bearing on the pipe D on each side of its vertical center. r

A pair of beveled trailing wheels 28, adapted to travel on the pipe D,are pro vided at the rear end of the carriage to form a revolublesupport for this end of the carriage on the pipe D, as shown in Fig. 1.The outer endof the yoke 25 connects with a yoke 29, which yoke. 29 isdisposed astride of the carriage frame 2 and has a horizontallyextending cross-bar 3O mountedon its lower ends a short distance belowthe underside of the carriage frame 2. The upper pipe D.

edge of the cross-bar 30 is connectedto a foot lever 31, pivoted at 32on the channel throw the tractor wheel 23 into operative engagement withthe pipe D. The down:

. ward pressure on the outer end of the lever 31 acts to move thetractor wheel 23 downward against the pipe D'and to move the forwardendofthe carriage body 2ein an upward direction after the tractor23contacts thepipe D, thus throwing the weight of the forward end of thecarriage body 2 onto the tractor and'thereby frictionallyengaging thetractor 23 and pipe D.

The tractor wheel 23 is provided with gear teeth 34' upon its periphery,between the divergent flanges. thereon, which gear teeth are normallyengaged by a pinion 35 keyed on the shaft 26. The shaft 26 is providedwith a beveled pinion 36 which meshes with a corresponding pinion 37,mounted on the countershaft 1-1 in such a manner than when thecountershaft 11 is rotated the tractor wheel 23 will be rotatedtherewith.

Means are provided for supporting the outer end of the carriage body 2independent of the pipe line D, and by means of which the carriage body2 may beheld securely against movement either longitudinally, laterally,or vertically. This means is here shown asconsisting ofa pair ofvertical standards 38, which are slidably and adjustably mounted inguides 39, carried by the channel plate '3. The lower ends of thestandards 38 are connected together by means of a growler board 40. Thegrowler board 40 is. adapted to rest upon the ground and span a ditch ortrench and form a level support for the standards when the ground is.rough and uneven. The means employed for verticaly adjusting the saidcarriage upon the standards need not be described here in detail as itforms the subject-matter of a separate application filed of even dateherewith, Serial No. 30,339.

Means are provided for clamping or looking the carriage frame 2 to thepipe D so as to prevent rotation of the latter and also to secure thecarriage body 2 against longitudinal movement. This means is particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, and con sists of a curved arm 59carrying gripping teeth 59pivotally attached at one end to a link 60,pivoted at 61 to one side of the carriage body 2; the arm 59 beingadapted to extend through a circumferential slot 62. The-slot 62 is.formed on the underside of the carriage body to positionthe teeth 59 onthe concave upper edge of the curved arm in engagement with the,underside, of the The outer end of the arm 59 extends through a link 63and is held in engagement therewith by means of a. pin 64. carried onthe outer end of the arm 59. The upper end of the link 63 is pivotallyconnected by a pin 65 to a slotted link 66 pivoted on a stud 67 on thecarriage body 2, and the upper end of the link 66 is adapted to extendinto a slotted arm 68 pivoted at 69 to the-carriage body 2; the upperend of the link 66 being designed to be disposed rearward of a block 70which is reciprocally mounted in the slotted arm 68. The pivot pin 65,connecting the link 63 and the link 66, extends on opposite sides of thelatter in such a manner as to engage the underside of the slotted arm 68to support the arm on the link 66.

Mounted in the outer end of'the slotted arm 68 is a threaded shaft 71,provided with a handhold 72, by means of which the shaft 71 may berotated in its threaded bearings to advance the block 70 against theupper end of the link 66 and move the latter in a' rearward direction toexert an upward pull on the link 63 and the curved arm 59 to cause thelatter to bear against the underside of the pipe D. The upward movementof the pipe D,'when the curvedarm 59 is pulled upwardly, is opposed by adownwardly extending flange 23 mounted on the interior of the carriagebody 2. The arm 59 thus serves to clamp the pipe D against the flange 23to hold the pipe against movement and also looks the carriage body 2thereon; the teeth 59 acting to prevent turning of the pipe D inrelation to the carriage 2.

Mounted on the channel plate 3, at the front end of the machine, is amast 73, carryinga boom 73 which extends forward of the carriage body 2and carries a pipe-engaging hook 74, adjacent to its outer end. The boom7 3 is supported by stays 7 3 con necting with the mast 73, which inturn is rigidly held by guys connecting with the carriage body atsuitable points. This hook 74 is adapted to engage and support a lengthof pipe E which is tobe connected to the pipe D. I

The pipe gripping means 6 are provided for gripping the pipe E, whensupported on the hook 7 4, and connecting it to the toothed wheel 6, sothat when the latter is rotated the threaded end of the pipe E may bescrewed in or out of a coupling F on the outer end of the pipe D.

In the operation of this invention, the pipe D is introduced intothecarriage body 2, with its outer end carrying the coupling F, disposedadjacent to the outer or forward end of the carriage body 2, as sh ownin Fig. 3, the pipe D being supported rearward of the carriage 2 ontimbers G, or in any other suitable manner. The height of the carriage 2is regulated to position it parallel with the pipe D, so that the outerend of the &

that when the timbers G are removed the outer end of the pipe D will besupported by the carriage body 2. This will permit of the pipeD beingraised and lowered in unison with the carriage to dispose the carriageand the pipe on any desired'plane. By removing thetimbers or supports G,adjacent to the rear end of the carriage 2, the latter may be loweredsufficiently to bring the hook 7 a in close proximity with the ground,where it may be engaged with a loose length of pipe E; the pipe D beingof sufficient flexibility between the rear end of the carriage 2 and itssupports G, which may be spaced as far rearward of the carriage as maybe desired, to permit the downward movement of the forward end of thecarriage 2 necessary to bring the hook 7a into engageable relation withthe pipe E. When thus lowering the forward end of the machine the pipe Dis freed from the clamp 59. After the hook 74 has been engaged with thepipe E, the carriage 2 is elevated, thereby lifting the pipe E clear ofthe ground and suspending it from the boom 73 in alinement with the axisof the toothed wheel 6 and pipe D; the carriage 2 being raised to such apoint as to dispose the open end of the pipe D concentric with thetoothed wheel 6, as before described.

W'hen the parts have been positioned as just described, the pipe D isclamped rigidly to the carriage 2 by means of the curved arm 59. The arm59 is caused to clamp the pipe D against the flange 23 by means of thetoggle links 63 and 66 which are lifted into an approximately verticalposition by means of a handhold 66 and are engaged at their upper endsby the block 70 in the slotted arm 68; the threaded shaft or screw 71being turned to force the upper end of the link 66 backwardly to exertan upward pull on the link 63 and arm 59, causing the arm 59 to engagethe underside of the pipe D and lift the latter upward. against theflange 23. When this is done, the pipe D will be securely held againstrotation and the pipe D and the carriage body 2 will be firmly lockedtogether. The pipe gripping means 6 is then adjusted to position on thepipe E and the screwing mechanism set in operation. When the pipe E hasbeen screwed in position, the gripping mechanism is releasedtherefromand the clamping member 59 is disengaged from the pipe D by looseningthe screw shaft 71 and the arm 65 which allows the links 63 and 6b todrop downwardly with the arm 59 to clear the pipe D. Timbers or blocks(not shown) are then placed beneath the pipe E at a s: :itable distancefrom the carriage 2 so as to support the pipe E, and the timbers G areplacedunder the pipe D adjacent to the rear end of the carriage 2. Thestandards 38' are then adjusted in such a direction as to be movedupwardly and thereby leave the carriage 2 supported upon the pipe D. Theforward end of the carriage 2 moves downwardly into contact with thepipe D before the standards 38 begin to.

move upwardly.

When the standards 38 have moved sufiiciently far so that the growlerboard 40 will clear any obstacles that may be in front thereof, theoperator throws his Weight on the lever 31 to depress the latter andthereby exerts a downward pull. on the tractorv 23 through the medium oftheryokes 2529 and the bar 30. The downward pressure on the outer end ofthe lever also acts to lift the forward end of the carriage 2 clear ofthe pipe D, when the latter is brought into contact with the tractor 23on the downward movement thereof. By throwing in the clutch 15 motionwill be transmitted to the shaft 11 through the gear 12, as beforedescribed, and from thence through the pinions 3637, shaft 26, andpinion 35, to the tractor 23, thus rotating the latter to cause thecarriage to travel forward from the pipe D onto the pipe E any suitabledistance. lVhen it is desired to bring the carriage to a stop, theoperator throws out the clutch 15, and if it is necessary to brake thecarriage against further movement, such as may be occasioned by momentumor inclination of the pipe D, the lever 31 is re leased to cause theouter end of the carriage 2 to come into frictional. engagement with thepipe E. By operating the pinions 13-13, the direction of rotation of thetractor 23 may be reversed as desired so that the carriage 2 may bepropelled in either direction on the pipe D or E.

As a means for preventing the machine from tipping from side to side,when moving from one point to another on the pipe line, an outrigger 92is provided, which outrigger is designed to be supported in any suitablemanner and held against vertical movement as the carriage 2 movesbackward or forward on the-pipe. In practice the outrigger 92 is heldmanually; the various elements of the apparatus being so disposed inrelation. to the axial line of the carriage 2 as to be approximatelybalanced on each side so that the machine may be maintained inequilibrium on the pipe D by manipulating the outrigger 92 by hand. Thestandards 38 are then raised to clear the ground and the entire machineis moved along the pipe line. When the apparatus has been moved to theforward end of the pipe E, the standards 38 are moved downward to theposition of the growler board to on the ground, as before described,whereupon another loose section of pipeE is-picked up and the level ofthe carriage 2 adjusted in readiness for another pipe screwingoperation, as before described.

13y constructing the apparatus so as to adapt it to travel on a pipe, itis rendered possible to lay pipe lines over uneven surfaces, and byproviding the adjustable standards 38 so arranged as tov span a ditch ortrench, the pipe line may belaid and lowered into a ditch when occasionso requires.

.This application is a division of our former application Ser. No.766,056, filed May 7, 1913, allowed November 18, 1914.

lVhile we have shown and described but a single form of our inventionherewith, it

1. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage formed to travel on a pipe lineas a track,

and pipe laying mechanism mounted on the carriage and extending .inadvance of the latter to lay a pipe onto which the carriage maysubsequently be advanced.

2. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage, a tractor for driving thecarriage when in operative engagement with the supporting surface, asupport for the tractor normally holding the latter out of operativeengagement with the supporting surface, and pressure bearing means formoving the tractor support to bring the tractor into operativeengagement with the supporting surface 8. In a pipe laying machine, thecombination of a carriage-adapted to travel on a pipe line as a track,pipe laying mechanism on the carriage, common power operated means fordrivlng said carriage and pipe laylng mechanlsm, and means for rendering'the first means inoperative relative to either the mechanism or.carriage.

4. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage formed to travel on a pipe line,pipe laying mechanism mounted on the carriage and extending in advanceof the latter, said mechanism including means for alining a pipe sectionto the pipe line and means for securing the pipe section to the pipeline, and

powermeans for driving the carriage and.

operating the pipe laying mechanism.

5. In a pipe laying machine, the combination of a'carriage, pipe layingmechanism on the carriage, a tractor for'said carriage adapted to travelon a pipe line as a track, common means for driving said tractor andsaid pipe laying mechanism, and meansfor moving said tractor into andout of engagement with the pipe line to render the tractor operative andinoperative for moving the carriage.

6. In a pipe laying machine, the combination of a carriage movable on apipe line, pipe laying mechanism on the carriage, and meansfor drivingsaid carriage on the pipe line in either direction.

7. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage, a tractor for driving thecarriage when in operative engagement with the supporting surface, asupport for the tractor mounted on the carriage and normally holding thetractor out of operative engagement with the supporting surface, andmanually operable means for exerting pressure on the tractor support tomove the tractor into operativeengagement with the supporting surface.

8. In a. pipe laying machine, the combination of a carriage, pipe layingmechanism on the carriage, a tractor on the carriage adapted to travelon a pipe line as on a track, normally out of operation with the track,a motor mounted on said carriage, common means for driving said tractorand pipe laying mechanism from said motor, and means for moving thetractor into operative engagement with the pipe for driving thecarriage.

9. A pipe laying machine, having a carriage, pipe laying mechanism onthe carriage, a running gear on said carriage adapted to travel on acylindrical surface for driving the carriage and normally out ofoperative engagement with the said surface, common means for drivingsaid laying mechanism and running gear, and means for throwing saidrunning gear into its operative position.

10. A pipe laying machine, having a tubular carriage, a running gear onsaid carriage adapted to travel on a cylindrical surface and normallyout of operative contact with said surface, pipe laying mecha nism onthe carriage operable when the latter is stationary, means for throwingsaid running gear into contact with the surface for driving thecarriage, said means comprising a pivoted bearing on which said runninggear is mounted, and means for adjusting said bearing vertically toraise or lower said running gear in relation to said carriage, and acommon drive means for the laying mechanism and running gear.

11. A pipe laying machine, a carriage, a beveled tractor thereon adaptedto travel on a cylindrical pipe extending through said tubular carriagefor moving the carriage on the pipe when in operative engagementtherewith, means for throwing the tractor in and out of operativeengagement with the pipe, pipe laying mechanism on the carriage, commonmeans for rotating said tractor and operating the mechanism, and meansfor holding the pipe against the tractor.

12. In a pipelaying machine, a carriage provided with an opening, atractor movable through the opening of the carriage into operativeengagement with the supporting surface for driving the carriage, aswingingly mounted tractor support on the carriage, and means forswinging the tractor support to move the tractor through the carriageopening into and out of operative engagement with the supportingsurface.

13. In a pipe laying machine, the combination of a carriage adapted totravel on a pipe, means for clampin the pipe against said carriagecomprising a curved lever mounted on the carriage engageable with theunderside of the pipe, pivotally connected links having one linkconnected to the outer end of the curved arm, and the other linkconnected at its outer end to the carriage, and means for operating saidlinks to move their outer ends toward one another and locking the linksagainst movement.

14. In a pipe laying machine, the combination of a carriage adapted totravel on a pipe, means for clamping the pipe against said carriagecomprising a curved lever mounted on the carriage engageable with theunderside of the pipe, pivotally connected links having one linkconnected to the outer end of the curved arm and the other linkconnected at its outer end to the carriage, an arm mounted on thecarriage, and a threaded shaft carried by said arm engageable with thelinks to move their outer ends toward each other.

15. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage, a tractor adapted to travel onthe curved surface of a pipe for driving the carriage, a rockable yokeon which said tractor is journaled, pipe laying mechanism on thecarriage, common means for rotating said tractor and laying mechanism,and means for depressing the yoke to throw the tractor into operableengagement with the curved surface of the pipe.

16. In a pipe laying machine, the combination of a carriage movable on apipe line, pipe laying mechanism on the carriage for laying a pipe lineto serve as a track for the carriage to travel on, and common means foroperating the carriage and pipe laying mechanism.

17. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel on a pipeline as a track, pipe laying mechanism on the carriage, a tractor forthe carriage adapted to engage with the pipe line for driving thecarriage, means for moving the tractor in and out of engagement with thepipe line, and common means for driving the tractor and the pipe layingmechanism.

18. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage adapted totravel on a pipe lineas a track and provided With an opening, pipe laying mechanism on thecarriage, a tractor mounted on the carriage for movement through theopening into engagement with the pipe line for driving the carriage,means for moving the tractor through the opening of the carriage to andfrom engagement With the pipe line, and common means for operating thetractor and pipe laying mechanism.

19. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage adapted to travel on a pipeline as a track and provided With an opening, pipe laying mechanism onthe carriage, a tractor mounted on the carriage for movement, saidtractor comprising a Wheel having spaced peripheral flanges andinterposed gear teeth, 20

common tractor and laying mechanism driving means including a gearmeshing with the gear teeth of the tractor, the peripheral flanges ofthe tractor being adapted to engage thepipe line through the carriageopen- 25 set our hands in the presence of two sub- 36 scribingWitnesses.

JOHN J. MAHONEY. WILLIAM L. NORRIS.

WVitnesses:

J OHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

